Paris (AFP)
The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, warned Tuesday that he would make vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory for police officers in contact with the public if their vaccination rate did not reach 90%.
"I told the police unions that if we do not obtain a higher figure, 90% for example of vaccination rate, yes I will go through compulsory vaccination", declared the minister on franceinfo.
"But for the moment I play the game of social discussion and I see that it works, we are more than 70% of vaccinated police officers, it is 10 to 15 points more than the French population", said M Darmanin.
These statistics were estimated from "feedback from department heads who spoke with their staff," the minister's entourage told AFP.
According to the latest data available, 70.6% of the French population has received at least one injection and 61.8% now has a complete vaccination schedule.
Mr. Darmanin added on franceinfo that he would make a point "at the beginning of September" with the police unions.
"There is no deadline to reach these 90% of vaccinated but it must be as soon as possible", specified the entourage of the minister, stressing that the vaccination was in "progress" among the forces of order.
The decision whether or not to resort to the obligation will also depend on "the health situation" in the fall, the same source added.
Due to their military status, gendarmes assigned to the field or in contact with the public must be fully vaccinated by September 15, after a decision by the Army Health Service (SSA).
The vaccination obligation, announced on July 12 by President Emmanuel Macron to counter the strong resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic, concerns nursing and non-nursing staff in hospitals and retirement homes, professionals and volunteers working with the elderly. , including at home, as well as firefighters or paramedics.
© 2021 AFP